South Jersey Man Arrested In Ocean While Fleeing Cops

NORTH WILDWOOD, NJ - A South Jersey man who ran into the ocean to evade police was arrested last week after stealing a bicycle from an area garage, authorities said.

On July 7 at around 2:15 p.m., a North Wildwood police officer witnessed a man, later identified as 38-year-old Ryan Verdi of Mullica Hill, walking into an open garage at 300 E 2nd Avenue “where he didn’t belong,” North Wildwood police said.

While checking the area later, the same officer saw Verdi riding a bicycle matching the same description of the subject that had entered the garage, police said. The officer then determined the garage door was stuck in the open position due to the power outage and Verdi stole the bicycle from the garage.

When officers approached Verdi, he ran onto the beach and into the ocean, police said.

Two officers, Sgt. Brian Harkins and Officer Dominic DeMusz entered the water and Verdi was arrested and charged with burglary, theft, disorderly conduct and related offenses. He was later remanded to the Cape May County Correctional Center.

This wasn’t the first encounter Verdi had with Wildwood police in recent memory, either: on July 5, Verdi was arrested on burglary charges after attempting to enter vehicles on 22nd and Surf Avenue.